Thoughts from an Intern

The gallery’s newest shows feature a variety of new artwork as the artists choose to continue in particular styles, or reinvent themselves with new techniques or subjects.

One particular collection that jumped out at me was Connie Carroll’s “Serious Art for Children.” It features the use of extremely vibrant color, playful use of the brush and deliberate, chaotic strokes and “scratches” into the paint. I loved the layering of the pastel colors, particularly in “Shadow Sailing Away.” The most memorable feature of all her pieces is that it places the viewer in a specific time, location, and memory, as seen in “Bright Kites, Night Flights.” The strokes she uses in her pieces also evoke a great deal of movement, as seen in “Round the World”. In addition, her subjects have characters and personalities that show her connection to illustration.

I was also fascinated by the glass sculptures scattered across the gallery. They are a particularly eye-catching addition to the landscape, portrait, or abstract pieces which adorn the walls. Phil Austin’s glass vases feature multiple layers of detail that recall elements of nature. The circular, repeating motifs, found in his “Yellow/Green Nouveau Vase” for example, are reminiscent of pussy willows by the lake, or an owl’s beady eyes.

R Jason Howard’s series of glass sculptures are a different approach to creating innovative, unique, and beautifully delicate glasswork. The imagery he creates is reminiscent of lace, or dew drops on a spider web.

The assemblage pieces by Linda Esterley were another favorite of mine. The combination or assembly of old antique items, are a very different and sometimes unexpected artistic direction. But the viewer can see how meticulous the artist is in her placement of the objects. The story behind the pieces is a subject of curiosity—haunting, but beautiful—especially when the artist’s original intention is not directly stated.

Jojo Siu

Gallery Intern

February 2010